Alice (Anny Ondra) is a London shopgirl who goes out on a date with her handsome boyfriend, Scotland Yard detective Frank Webber (John Longden). She's two-timing him, though, and sneaks out of her date to meet with a sleazy artist, Mr. Crewe (Cyril Ritchard). The artist lures her to his studio and tries to rape her, but she stabs him to death. She thinks she has gotten away with it, but she was seen.

Blackmail was not only Hitchcock's first talking film but the first talking film made in Britain. It was a huge hit and established Hitchcock as one of Britain's preeminent directors. It bears many of the tropes that would become familiar parts of Alfred Hitchcock's work—not just the Creator Cameo but the Monumental Battle, the Dead Hand Shot, the use of a blonde heroine in peril, and others.

Tropes:

Blackmail: Maybe not a shock that this is a plot element in Blackmail. Unfortunately for Alice, she is seen by a man on the street as she exits Crewe's rooming house.

Book Ends: Very similar shots of the police car barreling through the streets in the first scene of the movie and in the climax.

Climbing Climax: The blackmailer, with the cops in hot pursuit, climbs to the top of the British Museum.

Creator Cameo: Yes, Hitchcock did this from the very start of his career. This time he is sitting in a subway car, where a young boy is annoying him.

Dead Hand Shot: This is how Crewe's death is revealed. Later in the film, Alice is creeped out every time she sees a man's extended hand and arm.

Disney Villain Death: Unfortunately for the blackmailer, it turns out the panes of the glass cupola atop the British Museum can't support his weight.

Driving a Desk: Very obvious when the police car is driving around. The actors have white outlines around them.

"It's about Scotland Yard. Might be amusing. They're bound to get all the details wrong."

Match Cut: From Alice screaming when she sees a bum lying on the street that reminds her of Crewe, to Crewe's landlady when she discovers him. Again later, when the police chief orders a search for the blackmailer, to the blackmailer sitting in the same position.

Re Cut: Shooting was already underway when the producers decided to make Blackmail a talking film. Hitchcock wound up shooting all of the picture as a talking film except the first 6 1/2 minutes, while also making a silent version for theaters that hadn't converted to sound. Both versions survive

Same Language Dub: Anny Ondra's thick Czech accent was judged to be a problem. Hitchcock solved it by having an English actress, Joan Barry, say the dialogue off-camera while Ondra mouthed the words. Ondra went back to Czechoslovakia not long after, where she worked in movies for many more years.

Time Passes Montage: A criminal is being interrogated; he puts his cigarette on the ashtray. Cut to the ashtray with four cigarette butts inside it.

Your Cheating Heart: Alice bails on a date with Frank to meet Mr. Crewe. It turns out to be a bad idea.

Zip Me Up: Part of Alice's flirting with Crewe, when she is trying on one of his costumes for models.

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